Church Planting – Ordination

Last one in this series.

First, let me tell you how Baptists traditionally view ordination.

The standard view is that one is licensed to preach by their seminary or convention. After that, when hired by a church, the Pastor is then ordained by that body. The ordination lasts until the pastor separates from that congregation.

Now let’s look at the Bible.

There’s no Biblical example anywhere of a pastor being ordained a second time. Since the pastorate replaces the priesthood and the Rabbi’s, it falls under the same category. So, in the Bible, a Levite was ordained once he was old enough to officiate – and that was it. It was for life. They were ordained by laying on of hands, an unbroken line of ordination from Moses. This ordination line failed when the first temple was burnt.

A Rabbi recieved S’mikhtah, ordination, by laying on of hands. The Pharisees boasted that they were in an unbroken line of ordination from Ezra to the day of the second temple. And literally, my old Rabbi was still in that unbroken line, if the pharisee boast was based upon truth.

Ordaining a pastor is done by laying on of hands.

If all three are done in the same manner, by the same means, for the same line of work, the service of God, then they are all to be done in the same way, for the same length of time,

If a Rabbi leaves a synagogue and goes to another one, he is not ordained again. If a levite were to leave Jerusalem but officiate in the other manners of the Levite elsewhere in Israel, there was no second ordination.

The same illogic used for ordination could ALSO be applied to Baptism, and you could find that every pastor insisted you be re-baptized every new church you went to.

It’s unbiblical to issue a “license to preach.” Nothing in the bible about it.

Now for the second part – since we’re now aware that a license to preach is unBiblical, let’s look at ordination. Who does it? Baptists say the church body.

That’s not Scriptural. Acts 1:6, the Apostles ordained the deacons. Titus was to ordain in Crete. Timothy was ordained by the presbytery, the elders. Pastors.

There is NO Biblical example I can find of a church body ordaining a pastor.

So, who should ordain you?

another Pastor.

5 For this cause left I thee in Crete, that thou shouldest set in order the things that are wanting, and ordain elders in every city, as I had appointed thee: Titus 1:5 (KJV)

14 Neglect not the gift that is in thee, which was given thee by prophecy, with the laying on of the hands of the presbytery. 1 Timothy 4:14 (KJV)

Ouch. One major Baptist doctrine drops right in the trash can.

Biblically, your Pastor should lay hands on you and ordain you. And that lasts for… life.

If your pastor refuses to ordain you, but agrees that there is a call on your life, then he is literally refusing to obey God. That’s something he may have to answer for.

I know of one pastor who never went to SEminary. He just is one of those rare people who reads his Bible, listens to a lot of teachings, and found himself putting together a church because he couldn’t find a proper church teaching apostolic doctrine. So, he eventually found himself needing to do a wedding. But he wasn’t ordained. So, he called two other pastors (famous ones in the IFB Ruckmanite movement) and asked them if they were willing to ordain him.

They flew up on the next flight and ordained him.

no kidding.

If your pastor won’t ordain you because “That’s not how Baptists do it”, then take it to God. He will find the people to ordain you.

So, if you’ll excuse me, I’ve got some praying to do. See you tomorrow.

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Author: philipdean2013

Seminary graduate with a Ba. in Theology/Pastoral Studies, Happily married, Independent Baptist. I can't keep silent about what I see going on in Christianity any longer!
Apostasy reigns around us, churches are sliding into worldiness, a whitewashed Gospel is preached everywhere...
"Thus saith the LORD, Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls. But they said, We will not walk therein. Jeremiah 6:16 (KJV)
So, I'm speaking out. ...Why aren't you???
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